Taiwan opposition moves to cut drone budget, jeopardizing tech talent development

Taiwan's opposition parties are moving to slash or freeze a significant portion of the Ministry of Education's budget for drone technology development. The proposed cuts, amounting to NT$200 million, threaten to derail initiatives aimed at equipping 175 schools with 7,010 drones and providing essential teacher training. Lawmakers from the Taiwan People's Party have proposed eliminating the funds, while the Kuomintang party seeks to freeze them entirely. Critics argue these actions could stifle the growth of a crucial "technology talent chain" for drones, impacting Taiwan's future in this sector.

In parallel, the article highlights separate concerns regarding cross-strait interactions. The Ministry of Education has penalized Tamkang University and Tunghai University with NT$300,000 deductions each for violating regulations on exchanges with mainland China. These violations often involve full hospitality and on-site reception, raising suspicions of united front activities. Several other private universities are also under investigation for similar breaches.

The report also addresses the growing problem of drug use among youth, specifically concerning Etonitazene, a substance that can be used to create "zombie" smoke bombs. Despite increased police efforts leading to a slight decrease in adult users, student and adolescent exposure remains high. Authorities attribute this trend to the packaging of the drug as a trendy, "de-risked" item on Chinese TikTok, where algorithms push such content to young audiences, making it difficult to eradicate from campuses.